Maharey urges universities to work together

New Zealand's eight universities must work
together if they are to succeed in the future, Associate
Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) Steve Maharey
said this evening.

Mr Maharey was speaking to a seminar on
'New Zealand Universities in the new millennium' organised
by the Victoria University of Wellington Alumni Association
in Wellington. The new Government had campaigned against
the excesses of the tertiary education marketplace created
by National. Labour and the Alliance were now moving to
dismantle this marketplace in favour of a collaborative and
cooperative system where each institution makes a unique
contribution to a nationwide system of tertiary
education.

"New Zealand's universities have an important
role to play in developing the knowledge society, but they
no longer have monopoly rights. Changes in the tertiary
sector and in the world of business mean that our top
researchers and scientists are just as likely to work for
large companies or in some polytechnics.

"The challenge
for each university is to become innovative and to make a
unique contribution. The marketplace model which has
dominated for the last decade has encouraged duplication
rather than specialisation and the development of
expertise.

"The Government recognises that repositioning
our universities away from competing with each other and
encouraging specialisation will mean that some difficult
decisions will need to be taken.

"All our tertiary
institutions have statutory autonomy and the Government does
not plan to erode this. However within this framework I am
clearly stating our desire to see institutions planning and
working together.

"Last month I established the Tertiary
Education Advisory Commission to provide an independent
forum where tertiary institutions can map out their future
together. The Commission began meeting last week and will
begin reporting to me next month", Steve Maharey
said.

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